Sleep since I tend to be an insomniac and when I'm not sleeping, working, writing and dealing with my 3 kids, husband and dog, I like to take long walks especially on beaches where there is a lot of glass and interesting rocks.

What is your favorite color? Why?

Blue. Probably because my mother always dressed me in blue to "bring out the color in my eyes." I guess it stuck.

What is your favorite season? Why?

Spring because it's the precursor to summer when I can stay at the beach all day and don't have to deal with school schedules and kid's homework and grades. In Spring the whole promise of summer is still ahead, the flowers are blooming the weather is warming up and we can all breathe a sigh of relief that we made it through another winter unscathed.

If you could live anyplace on earth, where would it be? Why?

I love where I am but if I couldn't live here, I think New Zealand would be worth checking out.

If you could have any car, what would it be?

I like Lexus and especially the Sports Coupe. I would have an SC 430 or whatever the latest model is called.

Tell us about your writing:

How long have your been writing? Was it a dream, a goal or is it just a hobby?

I've had the novel in my head for more than 20 years and would write in my spare time. Basically it was escapist entertainment for me. When I found out about the kindle program recently (ok, I'm a little late but to be fair, I just got an iPad last year), I decided what the heck, let's give it a try and I started rewriting the story and preparing it for upload.

How many hours a day do you devote to writing?

2 - 4 depending on how my real job goes.

Do you have a set routine or do you write when the mood strikes?

Mostly in the evening when I'm not working on other stuff and the dinner dishes are put away.

Is there some place special you like to be when you write?

My office/bedroom ALONE except the dog can stay.

Do you listen to music or do you need a quiet place to write?

Quiet. Definitely.

Tell us about your book:

The series is a little bit SciFi, a little bit romance, and a lot of fantasy. Through the voices of people around him, it tells the story of Senya, a very strange boy who was born as part of a truce between kingdoms. The story follows him through his youth, through his travel to the mother planet and then back to his home planet of Rehnor where he becomes King. Running parallel to this is the story of a human girl, Katie, who joins the Allied Spaceforce, meets up with Senya and become his wife and future Queen, maybe. They're supposed to live happily ever after except for periods of absolute hell which throw them off track. Throughout the whole series is the big question, who exactly or what exactly is Senya and what is he doing here?

What is the name of it and is it part of a series or a stand alone novel?

Book 1 is The Boy who Lit up the Sky and the series is called The Two Moons of Rehnor

Where did the idea come from? How long did it take to write?

I don't know where it came from. Years of being a trekker combined with love of history, reading everything I could about Plantagenets and Tudors.

What is it about?

Book 1 follows Senya from birth to adulthood and nothing for him was ever easy.

Your other work:

Um...well...just this so far.

Do you have any upcoming projects in the works or other books that have been published?

I've published #2 & #3. The plan is to get book #4 out around May1 and #5 around June 1 if my beta readers can keep up with me.

From what I have heard about Flavia, she is a stunningly beautiful woman who loves to read and learn, but I have also heard she has a bit of a temper, so I'm going to be careful not to bring that out of her today.

Welcome Flavia! Tell us about your story.

I loved the book for the insight it gave me about the lost secrets of our empire. For so long I thought we were the only race on our planet and that we were the good guys but that’s not the case.

Really? What was?

I was shocked to learn that also on Adriana there is a parallel world where the opposite of my race exist. This world is full of weird gothic creatures and beings that live in a constant night. On a more academic level the book opened my mind to a new science and how the universe works for example, that portals exist on our planet that can transfer you anywhere in the universe. As you know I love to learn and I would never have found this knowledge anywhere else.

I'm glad you leaned about it then. What else?

The part of the book that wasn’t for me was the gooey romance that took place between my younger sister Aurelia and Leonard, a prince from the dark world.

What? You aren't interested in being in love?

I myself have very little time for boys but I suppose if my sister didn’t meet Leonard and have the epic adventure she did, then this book would not have been written.

lol....

Reading the book also gave me a new appreciation for my youngest sister Aurelia and her trouble-finding-rebellious nature. For only she would want to know why all the men on our planet were trained to fight even though we were told that we have never had enemies. It was this quest of hers that helped shape the main part of the book.

Very interesting.

My favourite part of the book is where I also make an important discovery (obviously I had to be involved) this is when I pay a visit to my Father’s friend in the ‘endless lands’ which is a distant part of my fathers empire. As you know I love to read books so when everyone else went out for an afternoon stroll I headed off to the house library to see if there was anything there that could not be found in the palace library, and what I found was something definitely not found in the palace library.

Really? What was different about it?

At first I thought I was mistaken but then I looked closer and saw HIM. He was so different. His skin didn’t glow like ours and his hair was jet black, something that had never been seen in the people of the kingdom of light.

Ah... a man. What else did you learn about him?

More disturbingly he had scars covering all of his strong tall body as if he had been repeatedly tortured. He had unspoken pain in his eyes, as if he had lost something forever and had nothing else left to live for, but this was not the most striking thing about his eyes, no, this was the burn mark right between them, as if he had been branded. He just stood there in silence and just when I thought that this might actually be a life-like statue, it spoke…THEY, the Dark Army, are coming and we are all in danger!

Holy cow... The book spoke to you? Ok - now I need to know some more.

We all want to be different, so what is the one thing you wish your creator had done differently with you?

I wish I had not only been shown as being intelligent but also more athletic and warrior-like in the book. For secretly, I love a good fight and this trait would have sat well with my fiery temper.

I bet it would have!

If you could have added something to the story, and your creator would have let you, what would that have been?

I wish she could have involved me more in the story overall, especially the part where my younger sister Aurelia is transported to Earth. I would love to have gone along with her, to see this wonderful yet weird world and share this part of the adventure!

What do you love best about yourself? What do you like least?

I will try to answer this the best I can but you should really ask my brothers and sisters for they will give you a better answer.

What I love best about me is that I have a great brain! I understand almost anything and I love to seek out new knowledge. This has come to the aid of my sister in many places in the book.

What I like least about me is that sometimes my foul temper can make people more miserable than I wanted them to be.

lol... Oh - I have that problem too.

What part of the book was the hardest for you and your creator to work through?

The hardest part for me, and the creator to work through was when my sister Aurelia found out that she would have to marry a man she didn’t love for the sake of protecting the interests of the Empire.

Oh no! What happened?

This was made worse as my sister Aurelia was already in love with someone else and knowing that their union could not be had an irreversible effect on her health and mind leaving her like a damaged shell of the person she was. To see someone I lover dearly, who was so full of life, eager to explore and be mischievous for the fun of it, being reduced to this was heartbreaking.

I bet it was hard to watch.

For the writer This part was even more difficult, for she had to capture the sadness of what was happening to Aurelia and put it into words that the reader would understand as this was an important part of the book which dealt with the concept love, betrayal and sacrifice all rolled into one.

Is there a sequel for this book? If so, what do you want to accomplish in the next book. If not, do you wish you could continue your story?

I do not want to give too much away but the writer told me there would definitely be a sequel! This first book was a pure Fantasy Fiction genre but the next installment will be an Urban Fantasy involving a whole host of old and new characters from the Dark and Light side who also end up on modern day Earth to find my sister Aurelia. I asked the writer heartedly to tell my sister as soon as possible but she told me that she couldn’t promise me that, given that Aurelia may only play a small part in this new story… I hope Aurelia gets well and she finds the support and love of new friends out there.

I hope so too. Thank you very much for visiting us today! I hope my readers take a few minutes to check out your sites and your book!

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

My name is Carol Tibaldi and I’ve been writing since I was eight years old. I live in Bayside, which is in the borough of Queens in New York City

Do you work another job when you are not writing?

I was a newspaper reporter for twenty years; now I do ghostwriting. I started working as a ghostwriter six years ago and have been successful. I’ve worked on some interesting projects, but my own writing is what’s most important to me.

What is your favorite thing to do when you aren’t writing?

I love to read. I also like to hang out with friends, see a good film, dine out, go shopping and basically just have fun.

What is your favorite color? Why?

I have two favorite colors: blue and red, but I don’t like to wear them together. Whenever I wear red it just makes me feel good. Blue is peaceful

What is your favorite season? Why?

I love the colors of fall. The crisp air just makes me feel energetic and alive.

If you could live anyplace on earth, where would it be? Why?

I’d want to live near the water. Maybe Hawaii. My favorite place on earth is in a little town in Maine called Surrey where I spent my summers as a child and as a teenager. We had a summer home on a place called Toddy Pond. It’s mentioned in Willow Pond.

If you could have any car, what would it be?

Maybe a Porsche or a Jaguar in black.

Tell us about your writing:

I wrote my first short story when I was eight and my father praised me so much that I decided to keep writing.

How long have your been writing? Was it a dream, a goal or is it just a hobby?

It was never a hobby though I enjoy it so much that most of the time it doesn’t feel like work. I guess you could say I’m pretty ambitious and have definite goals. I try to writer a set number of pages because I’m not a fast writer and I want to make sure I get a certain amount of work done each day.

How many hours a day do you devote to writing? Do you have a set routine or do you write when the mood strikes?

I usually write in the late afternoon or early evening because that works best for me. I know a lot of people write in the morning, but I’m not a morning person.

Is there some place special you like to be when you write?

Not really

Do you listen to music or do you need a quiet place to write?

Listening to music makes me more creative.

Tell us about your book:

Willow Pond is set during prohibition and is about a little boy who is kidnapped and what his family does to bring him home. His mother, Laura had just left her unfaithful husband and is just settling into a new life with her son, Todd in an apartment in Greenwich Village. During a visit with his father the child is kidnapped. Laura is frantic, of course and has no idea that the madman who has Todd plans to kill him.

Her aunt Virginia convinces the Police Commissioner that she must search for Todd and she pursues every lead, investigating one petty crook after another.

Laura's lover Erich Muller is certain her aunt is behind the kidnapping, but Laura refuses to listen. Caught in an impossible situation, she must follow the clues, follow her heart and answer the question: Who really abducted her son?

What is the name of it and is it part of a series or a stand alone novel?

I wouldn’t call it a series, but I am working on the sequel to Willow Pond.

Where did the idea come from?

I’ve always been fascinated by the era of prohibition and speakeasies and wanted to write about them. I also researched the Lindbergh Kidnapping for a few years and planned to write about it, but never did. The story of what happened to the Lindbergh baby is a lot different than what happens in Willow Pond, but its where the idea came from

How long did it take to write?

A little over two years.

Your other work:

Do you have any upcoming projects in the works or other books that have been published?

I like to take photos, ride my bicycle and talk to people on twitter. I spend way too much time on twitter, but I've met some great people. Some have even done reviews for me. I also recently found a fluted cake pan tucket away in a cupboard. Now I'm searching online for bundt cake recipes. See, the computer is the devil.

What is your favorite color? Why?

Chartreuse. Because I like the way it sounds.

What is your favorite season? Why? I like autumn for the the colours.I live in the Pacific Northwest, so it's not quite as dramatic as other parts of the country, but September is my favourite month.

If you could live anyplace on earth, where would it be? Why?

San Juan Capistrano. Because I like the way it sounds. Seriously, I live in Vancouver, Canada and I think it's one of the most beautiful cities in the world, so I'm pretty lucky.

If you could have any car, what would it be?

A sixty-four and a half mustang convertible. White or that teal blue colour that Mustang was famous for. One of my bosses had one once, and I fell in love with it. That's what Helena drives in the novel. I live vicariously through her.

Tell us about your writing:

How long have your been writing? Was it a dream, a goal or is it just a hobby?

I've been writing for what seems a lifetime, but really only got into it about six years ago. I find it's a great stress reliever. One particularly bad day at work I went home and killed a few thousand people in my first novel. It's a lot cheaper than a therapist.

How many hours a day do you devote to writing?

I can't do it that way. I can't force it. I jot down a lot of notes and wait until I'm in the mood to type out a whole chapter. Then I wait a period of time and go back and re-read what I have written and start the initial editing from there.

Do you have a set routine or do you write when the mood strikes?

Definitely when the mood strikes or when my friends and family nag me. I find they're pretty good at that.

Is there some place special you like to be when you write?

I'd like to be in San Juan Capistrano, but usually I'm sitting on the couch with the laptop on my legs. I keep it next to it, so I can write, or google I.M.D.B. with movie questions when the hubby and I are watching something on Netflix.

Do you listen to music or do you need a quiet place to write?

Both, depending on whether I'm alone or not. I like to start a writing session with The Gore Gore Girls' rendition of "Where Evil Grows", or Helix's "Deep Cuts the Knife". They both put me in the mood for writng something supernatural.

Tell us about your book:

What is the name of it and is it part of a series or a stand alone novel?

My latest novel is called "Helens-of-Troy," and it's the story of three generations of the LaRose family, all named variations of 'Helen'. When the uptight Helen senses that her goth daughter Ellie is about to start experiencing supernatural situations, she moves her to live with her own mother,the sex-pot Helena, in a small town called Troy. It's the first of a series of paranormal books featuring 'the Helens".

Where did the idea come from? How long did it take to write?

The title came to me first, a play on the title we all know so well. I wondered, what if there were three of them? And what if they were kick-ass demon killers, because you know, the original Helen with the horse was a bit of a slayer herself. I started it a few years back, but then really pushed at it the last year so I could get it done.

What is it about?

Fifteen year old Goth-chic Ellie has a lot of explaining to do. She’s just moved to the small town of Troy, fought with her uptight mother Helen, met the boy of her dreams and found a dead body on her sexy “new-age” grandmother Helena’s porch. All on the first night!

But Ellie’s not alone. Helen is hiding something. Helen knows all about the kind of eerie dreams her daughter is having — the dreams that show the whereabouts of the missing children of Troy — because she’s had them herself. But she’ll never admit it. Not while Ellie’s sex-crazed friend Ryan is safely behind bars for the murders. Helen knows what it’s like to be attracted to dangerous men.

Then there’s the little matter between Helena and Gaspar BonVillaine, the teenaged vampire who is learning to feed on young prey. Now that he’s caught Ellie, he doesn’t know whether he wants to kill her or turn her to the dark side and keep her forever. Helena should have finished him off when she had the chance.

To survive the vampire feeding frenzy surrounding them, mom Helen needs to come to terms with her own insecurities and deal with the gifts she has. Helena must learn to ground herself for the good of mankind and more importantly her own family. And Ellie has the toughest choice of all. Ellie must decide whether its time to let her own childhood go and become the woman she is destined to be, one of the ageless and timeless “Helens of Troy”.

Do you have any upcoming projects in the works or other books that have been published?

Back in 2006 I wrote "Olivia's Mine" a fictional account of the disasters that happened at Britannia Beach, BC in the early 1900's. They carry it in the BC Museum of Mining, so that's pretty cool. I'm also working on a project called "The Inn at Hazy Waters", which is a cross between Fantasy Island and Northern Exposure.

Janine's novel "Olivia's Mine" is available at your favourite online bookstore in paperback and ebook formats, and at the BC Museum of Mining gift shop. "Helens-of-Troy" is available at your favorite eBook store.

Friday, April 20, 2012

Let's welcome her to the blog and find out what her story is all about!

Greer just walked into the studio, the end of her notepad bouncing slightly as it hangs out of her back pocket. When she shakes my hand, I double check it to make sure the ink from her fingers didn't rub off on my skin.

Welcome Greer! Thank you so much for stopping by today! Get yourself comfortable and tell us about your story!

Queer Greer is a book about, well, me!

lol... I kind of figured that since you are the star. What else is it about?

I wasn’t sure how I felt about it when it was written because, to be honest, it’s really personal. The author didn’t hold anything back about my whole coming out process when I was in high school.

Coming out?

It was a very, very difficult time. I was truly in love with Cameron – one of the hottest guys in school and a football player, to boot – as well as Becca – captain of the swimming team and one of the most beautiful girls I’ve ever known.

Ah... Okay I get it now.

I lied a lot – to Cameron, to Becca, my parents and, maybe more than anyone, to myself. I was going through so much, just having moved to a new state and a new school; my best friend, Nick, not being there when I needed him more than ever; having all of these feelings I never thought I would have.

I can only imagine what you were going through.

It’s kind of embarrassing for me to read it, but I know it might help other teens going through similar situations, so, overall, I think it’s a good thing that it’s out there for people to read.

I bet it will help other teens out there - and adults too. I'm glad you let her tell your story.

We all want to be different, so what is the one thing you wish your creator had done differently with you?

She could’ve made me a little prettier! I mean, Cameron’s a hunk and Becca’s this blonde bombshell, but she describes me as kind of mousy, honestly. But, then again, that’s always how I’ve thought of myself, so she was just trying to be true to me as a character.

I don't know a person who doesn't wish they looked differently.

If you could have added something to the story, and your creator would have let you, what would that have been?

I definitely would have added a scene where Nick admitted that he had a crush on a guy back at our school in South Carolina! It wasn’t really important to MY story, but I think it definitely made Nick’s reaction to my crush on Becca make a lot more sense.

lol.. It might have.

What do you love best about yourself? What do you like least?

Ooh, those are hard questions! Is it strange to say I like my scars the best? I mean, they were self-inflicted, which signifies a really difficult time in my life, but they are also a reminder that I got through that time and I’m all the stronger for it.

That is a great thing to love about yourself. You fought - you won. YES!

Least, I’d have to say I don’t like the fact that, technically, I cheated on two people I cared a lot about. At the time, I just didn’t think about that fact because I thought it was more important for me to figure out who I was. Looking back on it, though, I shouldn’t have dated two people at once. It only ended up hurting everyone in the end, myself included.

Ouch!

What part of the book was the hardest for you and your creator to work through?

It was definitely the cutting. Neither of us was sure whether we should include that aspect of dealing with my sexuality, but because it is such a truth for a lot of LGBT people coming to terms with their attraction, we felt it was important to include.

I believe that it would be.

Is there a sequel for this book? If so, what do you want to accomplish in the next book. If not, do you wish you could continue your story?

There isn’t a sequel now, but there could be! A lot has happened since the end of Queer Greer. I’ve graduated high school and gotten into college. I’ve also been in my first truly serious relationship since Cameron and Becca. I’ve had my identity challenged by new friends and old, and my family has slowly come around, my mom especially.

Thank you Greer so much for coming to talk to me today and for sharing your story.

Yes I’m the manager of a hotel and wedding venue at Gretna Green on the Scotland England border. It’s a demanding job and writing is my way of relaxing

What is your favorite thing to do when you aren’t writing?

Reading is my first choice activity for alone time but I’m married with a young son so obviously spending time with my family is my favourite thing to do.

What is your favorite color? Why?

Blue because I don’t like looking up at a grey sky.

What is your favorite season? Why?

Spring because of the freshness and promise it brings with it.

If you could live anyplace on earth, where would it be? Why?

My ideal home would be a cottage beside a country pub in the highlands. There would be mountains and lochs to look over and it would be peaceful with lots of solitude. Then when I’d finished writing for the day I could go to the pub to socialise and meet new people to learn interesting facts from. Writing is a very isolated business and this way I could have my peace and play in one beautiful location.

If you could have any car, what would it be?

Bentley Continental GT. I’ve driven one and it is absolutely awesome in every imaginable way.

Tell us about your writing:

How long have your been writing? Was it a dream, a goal or is it just a hobby?

I’ve been writing shorts for about six months now and a novel for almost two years. I’d love to get a publishing deal one day but I am realistic about my chances in such times of evolution.

How many hours a day do you devote to writing?

Usually at least two but they are split between writing and promotional efforts. Today I’m promoting so tomorrow will be spent writing.

Do you have a set routine or do you write when the mood strikes?

I have no routine but I spend most of my free time doing something writing related. Mood can definitely influence writing and I try not to write when particularly angry or upset as that carries through in the piece I’m writing. If I’m relaxed, calm and not too tired then I’ll be writing. When I get home from work I deal with any communications and social media responsibilities and then try to get something written.

Is there some place special you like to be when you write?

Not being superstitious or anything I haven’t got a sacred place. I write on my couch with the radio or V on in the background.

Do you listen to music or do you need a quiet place to write?

I quiet like background noise but it has to be background. Mrs The Wife has learned that when I’m writing it’s best to interrupt me only with offers of food and drink. Talk of leaky taps and wanting a new outfit when I’m writing will be met with a curt response which will usually be negative.

Tell us about your books:My latest release was about a private investigator and is set in the 1950’s in a fictional American city called Mariscoper. The detective is called Harry Charters and the seven short stories all follow him as he takes various cases so he can keep himself in bourbon. Harry has a troubled past which is what causes him to drink so much and now he is little more than a bum. He is though, a good detective and he doesn’t call the cops, instead he dishes out his own brutal justice.

What is the name of it and is it part of a series or a stand alone novel?

The book is called Harry Charters Chronicles and is the first book in what will eventually become a series.

Where did the idea come from? How long did it take to write?

I was invited by a good friend to write a noir piece for her blog feature and I thought I’d have a go at writing the kind of gumshoe detective story Humphrey Bogart. When I submitted the first story to her she raved about it and because I’d enjoyed writing it so much and had good feedback from her blog readers I kept going with the character until I had enough of a word count to bring out a collection of short stories.

Your other work:

Do you have any upcoming projects in the works or other books that have been published?

I’m writing a full length novel which tells the tale of a police team with various cases. One of these cases turns into a kidnapping and things get very fraught.

I also have a collection of different short stories which involve suspense, thrillers, mystery and whodunits.

I also plan to release another short story collection this year along with a longer Harry Charters story.

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